50 States: Chapter 18

"Listen up, dumbasses." New Jersey shouted. "And listen good because I'm only saying this once. Our security cameras showed us that you went against our father's specific instructions not to go in the East Wing last night."

The nations began to pale.

"So now you are going to play a little game with us." New Jersey started to grin. "You all have to find the other guns and avoid being shot by us except for a few certain nations. Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and Denmark. You four are getting a head start."

"Head start?" Australia raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Not that we're complaining!" New Zealand added quickly.

"One, because you have good relations with our father." Delaware listed. "Two, you never attacked us. And three, unlike most of these guys, we kind of like you."

"Really?" Denmark asked with a grin. "You like me?"

New Jersey scowled. "Don't push it, Dane."

Norway inwardly began to respect the third state (just a little) while Denmark chuckled nervously. Delaware continued the instructions.

"The other guns are located throughout the yard so my advice to you would be to split up. They're not all in one location. There are various types of guns. Water, paint, real, firecracker, dupes, and mystery. The mystery guns won't be able to open without certain keys hence why they have their names so be careful if you decide to use them. You never know what might be inside."

"We're going to use real guns?" China asked, uncertainly.

"If you find any, yes." Pennsylvania said, bluntly.

Italy gripped Germany's arm. "Germany, I don't want to die! Don't let them shoot me!"

"You can't do this!" England shouted.

"P-please try to reconsider..." Finland stuttered. While he wasn't afraid to use guns he didn't want to have to shoot children.

"SHUT UP!" New Jersey roared, immediately silencing the nations. "If you listen you'll find out what they're for. The real guns are used to tell everyone that you give up. You're not shooting anyone with real bullets."

The nations sighed with relief.

"However, there are only two real guns so you should probably think twice before you surrender. Someone might need it more than you." Pennsylvania warned before looking directly at Italy. "White flags don't count as surrender in this game. It only makes you a target."

Italy gulped and gripped Germany's arm harder. This game sounded really scary.

"All nations, except Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and Denmark, have ten seconds to hide and search for a weapon." South Carolina announced before turning to the four said nations. "You four each get a water gun and a thirty second head start."

Georgia, New Hampshire, and Vermont handed the four nations each a water gun.

"Prepare to run." Delaware shouted. "When I shoot, you take off. Got it?"

"Got it." The four nations got into a sprinting position while the others watched anxiously but also in outrage. How was this fair?!

Louisiana then approached the four and gestured for them to come closer.

"This is only for you to know." She whispered. "Be careful and watch out for other states, capitals and traps. They're hidden like the other weapons throughout the property so be on your guard."

Denmark, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea each gave a grateful nod.

Delaware took a real pistol off her belt and raised it in the air before firing. The four immediately sprinted off into the yard. Once they were out of sight, Delaware turned to the remaining countries.

"Prepare to run!" She barked. They barely had enough time before Charity fired her pistol for the second time and took off running as if their lives depended on it. Which it probably did.

Operation Red has begun.

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The nations ran in all directions, splitting up as Delaware had advised, and never dared to look behind them, afraid to see one of America's insane kids chasing them with those realistic water guns. The Nordics, minus Denmark, stayed together. Then the remaining G8, England, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and China, along with Spain. The final group was Austria, Hungary, and Poland.

The G8 and Spain were currently wandering through the corn field. The stalks were over ten feet tall and were very thick. It was impossible to see through them.

"Damn, I can barely see." England muttered.

Germany immediately hushed him. "Quiet! Don't you hear that?"

Everyone froze and listened. Rustling was heard from about ten feet away and seemed to be coming closer. A moment later it stopped. Germany felt the hairs stand on the back of his neck. He felt as though he was being watched but he didn't move and remained as still as possible.

A long, agonizing minute later, the rustling started to move away from where the nations were located.

England breathed a sigh of relief before gesturing everyone forward. "Let's go. We need to find weapons to defend ourselves."

"We could just surrender now." Italy said, holding his white flag but Germany slapped it out of his hands.

"Dummkopf! Don't you remember vhat Pennsylvania said?" He hissed. "You need to fire a real gun to surrender. Zhe vhite flag vill only draw zhem right to us!"

"Oh." Italy seemed to deflate. Why did the states want them to use real weapons as a means of surrender. What if someone got hurt?

As if reading his mind, France patted Italy on the shoulder. "Come, mon ami. We must keep going. If we find any real guns, you can have them."

Italy's mood seemed to brighten a little and the group trudged forward through the corn.

"America's children are insane!" China exasperated. "What do they hope to achieve from this?"

"I do not know." Japan answered. "Maybe they are simply very protective of their home and see us as a threat?"

"That's ridiculous! Why would we be a threat?" Spain asked in bewilderment. "Si, it's a shock to find out America, Canada, and Mexico are parents but I would never threaten them."

Antonio continued in a more serious tone. "I am very upset that Rosa and Lovi kept this from me. But I need to talk to them about it. Colony or not, Mexico's states are practically my family too."

Spain's expression suddenly softened. "I want to make things right between us. I want to be involved in their lives. To be close to them like how Lovi is with Connecticut."

The G8 were silent as they processed Spain's words. What he said was true. The children of the North American countries were their family too and they had messed up their chances of being close to them over and over again. Meanwhile, their capitals had fled from them to live with America and took their places as family to the states, provinces, and territories.

The children looked to the capitals as family while the nations were seen as strangers, unsure if they could be trusted. Which was actually understandable for the children and their parents had been hurt by other nations. Hostility should have been expected from the start if their father or mother feared that other countries would take the first chance they got to attack innocent children.

Little did the nations know, the presence that they sensed earlier never left. A figure with brunette hair was stalking them and waiting for the right moment to strike.

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The four Nordics wandered through the wooded area of the vast yard and came across an old sawmill. It looked as though it was still used but was currently vacant.

"This place looks empty. We could probably hide here until it's over." Norway stated.

"How can you be sure?" Iceland asked, eyeing the building in suspicion. "For all we know someone could be hiding in there. Maybe one of those crazy states."

"I didn't see all of them back at the patio." Finland added. Sweden nodded in agreement. But then again, you couldn't see all of fifty children from ages five to eighteen.

"We'll just have to tread lightly and keep an eye out." Norway replied. "Besides, what other choice do we have?"

As the Northern Europeans made their way to the entrance, a creak was heard from inside. They froze. Finland stepped forward and gestured for Sweden to follow. They paused to listen again. Nothing.

Sweden decided to be the first to enter and slowly opened the door. The Nordics flinched at how loud the door creaked as it opened. Berwald walked inside cautiously before gesturing for Finland, Norway, and Iceland to follow. They looked in every direction for signs of danger as they headed for the stairs.

Suddenly, Sweden stopped and held his hand up, signaling the others to stop as well.

"What is it, Sve?" Tino whispered but Berwald hushed him and pointed to the floor above them. They all listened. And they heard it. Footsteps were coming from above them. But they had stopped as soon as they started and all was silent again.

Sweden ushered the others towards the stairs and they slowly went up. Iceland put his hands up in defense when they looked at him for landing on a creaky step. When Sweden got to the top, he lifted his head above the floor to get a better look.

He couldn't see anyone but someone was definitely up here. The footprints in the dust were proof of that.

"W'it h're." Berwald said before climbing the last step. The atmosphere seemed more tense now that he was alone. He could feel someone watching him but didn't know where it was coming from.

A click echoed through the mill.

Sweden was tempted to freeze but whipped around to see a figure in the shadows, behind a pile of logs. But Sweden could see a pair of familiar blue eyes through the darkness as the figure stepped forward. All the while, keeping what looked like a machine gun pointed at its possible victim.

AN: Anyone have an idea of who these people are?